The Sixth Year
by bonkythedinosaur
Summary: How will Harry cope with life after the death of Sirius and being told that the weight of the world is on his shoulders? I don't know either so maybe we should find out...I plan to update every day so stop in R&R ;)
1. Oh the Memories

Disclaimer: I of course don't own any of this and neither do you I'm afraid, unless...nope sorry you're not JKR either.  
  
A/N: This is actually pretty boring, but hey maybe it'll get better... who knows eh? Anyways R&R and leave any ideas you have for future chapters. In fact I'm writing the next one as we speak, or as I speak anyways...

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Chapter One: Oh, the Memories...  
  
It had been a long, muggy midsummer's night. Most people would sleep at this time of night, but not everyone. One boy sat in a quiet, dark room at Number 4 Privet Drive just staring outside into the night skies like he did most other nights since the end of the school year. This boy just so happened to be the famous Harry Potter, the "Boy Who Lived".  
  
Such a small amount of sleep had not settled well on Harry and for this reason every morning Harry was left dazed and angry. The summer dragged on for Harry because of the death of his godfather, Sirius, last year. Sirius was the last thing left that he considered to be family. He and Sirius had grown very close since Harry's third year of school when the truth was uncovered about what really happened that night, many years ago when Sirius was taken to Azkaban. Every minute Harry spent alone in his room, he grew evermore guilty that the unfortunate death had been his fault.  
  
Harry half wished his friends, Hermione and Ron, would send him an owl soon, but he knew in his head, he wouldn't want to talk to them after reading their short, one-sentence letters. It just didn't seem fair that they should be at Number 12 Grimmauld place without him. Instead he was at the Dursley's, confined to his room except for the occasional bathroom break.  
  
"_It was Dumbledore who did this to me_." Harry thought as he studied the heavens. Harry had lost all respect for the man; in fact, if Harry never saw Dumbledore again he thought he would die happy. If he had told Harry about the prophecy beforehand, Sirius would still be alive. But Dumbledore didn't and Sirius wasn't. Harry decided to push these thoughts to the back of his mind and pulled out the book they had been assigned for summer reading: Standard Book of Spells: Grade Six.  
  
It was slow reading, but it did the trick to pull Harry's thoughts away from Sirius. Anyways it wouldn't kill him to pick up his studies, after all he had quite a bit of catching up to do if he was expected to "defeat the dark lord". Harry laughed at the thought. He had escaped Voldemort several times before, but how was he expected to finish him for good? Every single time he had gotten by, it was because of his "sheer dumb luck". Harry now snorted at this. He remembered Professor McGonagal say those same words in his first year, after he and Ron saved Hermione from a mountain troll on Halloween.  
  
"Those were good times," Harry said to himself. And with that, Harry fell asleep at his desk as those memories of better times filled his dreams.

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A/N #2: yeah, its really short more otw 


	2. Monday Owl Post

Disclaimer: I of course don't own any of this and neither do you I'm afraid, unless...Nope sorry you're not JKR either.  
  
Chapter Two: Monday Owl Post  
  
Harry woke that next morning with a jolt when he heard a sharp tapping noise at the window. His eyes lit up, it was Hedwig. He didn't remember closing the window last night but in any case he opened the window as fast as he could before his Uncle Vernon came up to his room yelling about "stupid bloody owls". Hedwig flew inside the window, with much trouble and landed on the desk. She carried three letters and a large package with a note, by the looks of the chicken-scratch from Hagrid.  
  
Harry grinned as he opened the note. It read:  
  
_How yeh doin Harry? I hope yere okay, I've been worried 'bout yeh. Sorry this is late, I meant to send it for yere birthdae but something came up. Anywho those filthy Durslee's better not harm yeh, Harry or I might just have to make a little trip down there again. Hopefulee they're not starving ya too bad, but just incase I sent some snacks. Baked 'em meself.  
  
Hagrid_  
  
Harry opened the package and found Hagrid's homemade rock cakes and a birthday cake identical to the one Hagrid gave Harry when they first met. Pink with "Happee Birthdae Harry" in green frosting. The funny part about the rock cakes was that they really did taste like rocks, and Harry knew this from experience after countless visits to Hagrid's hut during the school year.  
  
Harry moved onto the 3 letters, he was really hoping at least one of them would be from Lupin. Harry began to think Remus would be the only one who could relate to him anymore. After all, Remus was close with James and Lily and they were gone. He was close with Sirius and now, he was gone too. Harry sighed and went back to the letters. Unfortunately, nothing from Moony, but letters came from Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore. Harry seriously considered throwing Dumbledore's letter away but instead decided to read Ron's first and get back to it.  
  
_Dear Harry,  
  
Harry I know you're absolutely fuming with us, we haven't been allowed to write until now, security is really tight around here this summer. Anyways, Dumbledore said he'd be coming to get you soon, you probably already knew that though. Can't wait to see you, hope you're doing okay. Ron_  
  
Then he moved onto Hermione's letter:  
  
_Oh Harry,  
  
I've been really worried about you, we haven't talked since the end of school. I know you're probably angry with me and you have every right to be. But when you get here, I'm here to talk with you about anything you may have on your mind...only if you want to of course. I can't wait to see you, and please Harry, just be careful.  
  
With Love,  
Hermione_  
  
Surprised with the letters, Harry felt comforted. He would be going back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place soon, he would get to spend the rest of the summer in good company..._mostly_ good company anyways. Harry frowned and reached for the letter from Dumbledore. "_If this didn't have anything to do with leaving this place, I would rip it up_," he thought to himself, he was still mad with Dumbledore even if he was "rescuing" him from the Dursleys. "_Then again its his fault I ever had to come here_," he thought, making more excuses for him to be angry with the headmaster. Once again, Harry sighed and opened the remaining letter. It read:  
  
_Hello there Harry,  
  
I am quite sure you're still furious with me, and again you have every reason to be, but I hope that you can soon find it in your heart to forgive an old man's mistakes. I know, that because of me you have suffered an immeasurable loss. Hopefully, we can talk about everything in the near future, outside the school environment.  
  
As you may have heard from either of your friends, I will be coming to pick you up myself next Sunday evening at 9 p.m. We will head to headquarters from there.  
  
By the way, I take full responsibility for your friends not being able to contact you over the last two months. Unfortunately that was a precautionary measure we had to take with the way things are progressing at the present time.  
  
Also, Remus will be staying here all summer. He is incredibly glad your coming and he said to tell you he misses you very much.  
  
-A mistaken old man  
  
P.s. Very smart owl you have there, he came to my window while I was writing this._  
  
Harry's heart softened a bit. _A bit_ were the key words there. "_Immeasurable loss_, well, he seems to know what he has put me through...Who said I was going to talk though... oh well," Harry said out loud to himself.  
  
"And of course she's a smart owl, after all she's Hedwig." Harry smiled, and at that the great white bird affectionately nipped at his hand.  
  
So that was that. He would be going back to the Order's headquarters to stay for the remaining weeks of summer. He would see Moony. He would see Hermione and Ron. Hermione and Ron. How would he tell them about the prophecy? Harry grabbed a piece of the pink cake and plopped down on his bed. He began to think of how he would word his news. Harry didn't think that, "_Hey guys, the fate of the world rests on my shoulders_," would work. He continued trying to think of exactly how to say it until he came to the decision that he still had the entire week before he left for Grimmauld Place. And with that, he went back to reading: Standard Book of Spell: Grade Six.  
  
_Surely he wouldn't have to take a whole week figuring out what to say to his two best friends, or would he?_  
  
A/N: haha quite the cliffhanger, I know, I know. Anyways it should get better I think, R&R. Just keep reading anyways.  



	3. Back Into the Swing of Things

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the spiffy book series.

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Chapter Three: Back Into the Swing of Things  
  
The next week at the Dursleys flew by faster than ever. Before Harry knew it, Sunday morning had came. The only thing Harry told the Dursleys was that he would be leaving today. This news filled the house with an air of nervousness. Harry could remember only too well when the Weasleys had come to pick up Harry. Two times it had happened. The first time was in Harry's second year when they ripped the bars off of Harry's window with a flying car. The last time, in Harry's fourth year, they had come to pick up Harry by floo, and destroyed half the living room. Fred and George gave Dudley the candy with the engorgement charm so that Dudley's tongue swelled up. Dudley had remembered this along with his pig's tail from Hagrid all too well, and hid in his room the entire day.  
  
"How exactly will they be arriving boy?" said Uncle Vernon with a sense of anxiousness in his voice as he peered out the window.  
  
Harry shrugged, "Actually, I'm not quite sure..." Aunt Petunia busied herself the rest of day by dusting and cleaning and such. Harry climbed the stairs to his room quickly, trying to avoid any more awkward questions from his Uncle. He began packing his things inside his Hogwarts trunk, his thoughts once again returning to the matter of how to tell Ron and Hermione of the prophecy. It took him most of the day to gather all of his things and clean his clothes, since the Dursleys thought it was absolutely unacceptable for them to mix their things in the wash.  
  
The day went by as if it were on fast-forward. Eight o'clock had come and gone. Harry had finally finished packing his things, doing his chores, and managed to shower. After trying to mash down his stubborn hair, Harry looked at his watch, saw that it was nearing nine o'clock and decided to give up on his hair. Harry dragged his trunk downstairs, making sure to hit every step on the way down. Harry knew he would be leaving soon, so he didn't mind throwing in a bit of extra annoyance for the Dursleys.  
  
The grandfather clock in the corner of the living room at Number 4 Privet Drive struck nine o'clock. _Once. Twice. Three times. Four times...  
_  
"People have no respect for other people's time these days..." Grumbled Uncle Vernon, his face turning more purple by the second. _Eight times._ A loud _!POP!_ sounded just before the ninth chime.  
  
"I hope I'm not late. Sorry, what were you saying Mr. Dursley?" said the familiar old voice calmly. "My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the headmaster at Harry's school, I expect I am interrupting your evening so Harry and I will be leaving as soon as he is ready," he said coolly. The Dursleys just sat there dumbfounded. How did this man get into their house? They continued to sit silently until Dumbledore spoke again.  
  
"Harry, I am afraid we will be traveling by portkey if that's okay with you? Unfortunately we can't fly this time, so if you would just grab your trunk and take hold of this." Dumbledore reached inside his robes and pulled out a small, stuffed whale. Harry lifted the end of his trunk, and grabbed the tail of the whale. In a matter of seconds, Harry's feet hit the cold stone floor of the kitchen at Number 12 Grimmauld Place along with Dumbledore. Harry left his trunk there and opened the door that led into the dining room area.  
  
Immediately, he was surrounded by people. Harry still didn't feel much like talking to anyone but he didn't mind the many acts of welcome. Mrs. Weasley was the first to pull him into a hug; once he regained his breath, he proceeded to pass hugs all around. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, and Tonks all said their hellos and received their hugs. Just as Hermione began to launch into her speech about how sorry they were that they hadn't been able to communicate with him, Harry spotted Remus in the corner of the room.  
  
Harry, completely ignoring Hermione, slowly walked over to where he stood. This after all was the one person he most wanted to see, but why hadn't he rushed over to him with the rest of the gang? It didn't matter. Harry smiled, glad to see him, and then embraced him into a meaningful hug.  
  
Afterwards, Mrs. Weasley asked everyone to be seated at the dining table. She began to bring out course after course of delicious food, all the foods he missed from Hogwarts, not the slices of grapefruit he was used to. Harry remained silent the entire meal, whether it was because he had been so underfed, or if he still just didn't feel like talking, he wasn't sure. He ate until he was more than full.  
  
Harry stuck around in the living room late into the night, until almost everyone filtered out to bed, one by one. Finally, only Harry and Remus remained. Harry thought about all the things he wanted to talk about, to ask about. All the feelings he wanted to let out and make known. He had so much on his mind he thought he might blow.  
  
"Would you like to talk?" Lupin said at long last.


End file.
